Have a Listen: Audiobooks We Love

I am a longtime lover of audiobooks. When we were kids, Paige and I shared a room, and we used to drift off to sleep at night listening to our favorite books on tape. This is a habit that became so ingrained that, although we no longer live in the same state, much less the same bedroom, we both still love to listen to a book at bedtime. Paige and I also liked to pick out a couple of audiobooks for our drives home from college. While working on my PhD, I listened to a lot of audiobooks during my 50 minute commute to the University of Kansas. Now I love an audiobook to help me through my less exciting chores or a session at the gym.

Here are ten fabulous audiobooks:

Anansi Boys by Neil Gaimon. Nathan and I listened to this books years ago. Years. And we are still talking about it and quoting it.

At Home by Bill Bryson. This "short history of private life" is really a short history of basically everything. At Home was all I could talk about for weeks. It's also narrated by the author, which is almost always a treat.

Austenland by Shannon Hale. My impression of this book is that it has Shannon's (I've met her in person, so sure, we are on a first name basis) sense of humor all over it. I could imagine her snickering as she wrote it. I snickered while I read it.The movie is out in theaters now in select cities.

The Beka Cooper Books by Tamora Pierce. I have listened to all of Tamora Pierce's novels. Yes, all. That's 29 books, folks and these are my favorites of the lot. I love, love, love the language in the Beka Cooper books, and Susan Denaker's narration really brings it to life.

The Curse Worker Books by Holly Black. There are quite a few series that I will wait to read until I can get my hands on the audio version. Jesse Eisenberg narrates this series, and I think he really nails Cassel.

The Heir Chronicles by Cinda Williams Chima. These books are exciting, as in maybe not the best for bedtime listening because you won't be able stop listening and go to sleep.

The Lost Painting by Jonathan Harr. I know I am an art history nerd, but I found this book about the rediscovery of a lost Caravaggio incredible suspenseful even though almost all the big discoveries were unearthed in archives (tedious work). This is one that I passed along to my husband and sister.

The Montmaray Journals by Michelle Cooper. Here's a series I've been recommending to everyone. These books are great historical fiction and fabulous choices if you want to read about the 1930s, the Spanish Civil War, and World War II. I was so sad that the third book wasn't recorded.

The Thursday Next Books by Jasper Fforde. Clearly I love Jasper Fforde. This is another series that I always read in audio format. It's also one that Nathan and I like to listen to together. We just love Thursday.

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. This audiobook got us through the drive from Maryland to Alabama and back. Nathan and I were absolutely riveted, and I had already read the book. It seems like basically everyone has already read this or thought about reading this, and, if you are in the latter category, might I suggest the audio version?